Opera Highlights 2013 - Press Reviews

‘Continuing its 50 year celebrations, Scottish Opera is again bringing opera to the community spaces and far-flung isles of Scotland. The programme is a well thought-out one, and celebrates the diversity of shows the company has performed over the years. Reminiscences about mishaps in the Theatre Royal and other anecdotes provide a sort-of framework for ran entertaining evening. Tenor Nicky Spence found it difficult not to steal the show from his fellow performers (soprano Eleanor Dennis, mezzo Katie Grosset and baritone Duncan Rock)…Denis’s singing of Oh Pale Blue Dawn from Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel was breath taking…The world premiere of Hand by Gareth Williams (Scottish Opera’s composer in residence) opened the second act, with performances by Dennis and Spence that were stirring vocally and in their interpretation of Johnny McKnight’s text…the ensemble’s rousing Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide) was clearly sowing the seeds for the next 50 years of grassroots opera talent in Scotland.’